Melody of Rain
by Koinu-chan
Summary: It's been three years since Sasuke has left Konoha, but the rain resurfaces some old painful memories. [Spoilers]


**MELODY OF RAIN (revised)**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the anime/manga; Naruto, nor any of its characters (normally people have something smart/witty/funny thing to say here but I don't :P).

**A/N:** After I read the whole betrayal incident, I was depressed for a month. It might have to do with the fact that Sasuke is my favourite character and I that I am also a huge SasuNaru fan (read my profile to get an idea how obsessed I am of them). I couldn't believe what Sasuke had done, but in a way it wasn't entirely his fault. I am now completely over it. However, a lot of people in the Naruto fandom have come to hate Sasuke because of his betrayal and I'm upset over that. This is what I think Sasuke was thinking when he was fighting Naruto; I hope this fanfiction will bring more understanding to his character (at least from my interpretation).

**Note:** the quotes come from unofficially translated manga, so they might be a little off.  
Er...and fanfiction is very limited to how it can be formatted. The format of my story is actually very important, I've tried my best to make it look good but it's still not as good as what I had on Word. (Like for one, the quotes are supposed to be scattered all over the page, but now I can't do that here...) Anyways, I'll stop talking now.

* * *

The steady rhythmic sounds beat against the window pane, creating a haunting music that slowly seeps into my mind. It harmonizes with the same sad melody of those past memories. 

_**pit pat pit pat pit pat pit**_

_**pat pit pat pit pat pit**_

_It's raining…  
_My eyes traveled to the small window in this room. Drops of water clings to the glass and glows with the light of the moon, contrasting greatly against the night sky. The raindrops beat against the glass as the memories slowly surface.

**_Flash of lighting_**

"_Father! Mother!"_

"_Brother…why…"_

"_Foolish little brother"_

"_It was essential…"_

"_to test my strength."_

"_I'll let you live…"_

"_You can awaken…"_

"_but there is a requirement..."_

"_You must kill your closest friend."_

"_If you want to defeat me…_

_curse me! Hate me!"_

_**Rumble of thunder**_

I clutch my head in a futile attempt to block the voice, the rain beats down harder as waves of pain and sorrow wash over me, then the vile bitterness starts to boil inside me…all directed at _him_.

_That day it had rained as well.  
__I stared at the white chalk line that outlined  
__my parents bodies while listening to the rain.  
__Were the heavens crying for me? _

I never forgot what he said to me, after that day I had fed myself on the only thing he left me; hate.  
Those days of loneliness I filled with both physical and mental training, I grew cold and emotionless; the only thing on my mind was revenge. I would go to any lengths to get enough power to defeat him. _I would do anything._

Then I met…_you_.

_The first time I saw you, you were alone...  
__just like me.  
__Something drew me to you.  
__Maybe it was your eyes; they were like my own,  
__full of loneliness and sorrow.  
__But I was scared to approach you,  
__afraid to get close to someone. _

After we joined into teams, I unwillingly discovered comradeship; the thing that was supposed to slow me down. Working the team (and _you_) came so easily, it was almost natural. While being with you, I felt a great weight lift off my shoulders; you somehow dispelled the darkness within me. I came to care for you so much that I nearly sacrificed my life for you.

_I didn't want to loose any more precious people…_

_**Flash of lightning**_

"_What! Aiming for Naruto?"_

"_Please let me make it in time!"_

"_Sasuke, you…why did you…"_

"_What's with that face…idiot…"_

"_I never asked for your help! So why?!"_

"_I don't know…"_

"_my body just moved on its own…"_

"_I told myself I wouldn't die…"_

"_don't die also."_

_**Rumble of thunder**_

I wasn't sure what had happened, or how it happened. Something urged me to protect you. Without thinking of the consequences, I moved in front to block the attacks.

_The moment before I blacked out  
__It seemed all my worries, my fears,  
__my anger, my pain, my hate  
__had gone away…  
__I was only left with warmth._

After I was revived, I gained hope. Hope for companionship, hope that I will no longer have to suffer loneliness. Hope for a future…

_In the end it was a useless hope_

Everything took a different course.  
The curse seal was the first step and the reappearance of _him_ was the next.

_The steps that would lead me on a different path from you._

The moment I saw him, all the vile, bitter emotions that had taken so long to bury, all burst out again. The uncontrollable anger and hate. Being flung aside by him left me feeling frustrated and helpless, I wanted to scream at myself for being so weak.  
I was reminded what I haven't accomplished yet, and what I _had_ to do. I could never escape it.  
I no longer cared for anything else; all I wanted was to have the power to kill him. I went to find the man that could give that power.

_But you came after me…_

_**Flash of lightning**_

"_My childish games with you are over..."_

"_I have my own path."_

"_Don't get in my way."_

"_I'm going to Orochimaru."_

"_You'll get killed!"_

"_I don't care."_

"_all I want is to accomplish my goal."_

"…_our fight was interrupted."_

"_I won't let you go…I'll stop you!"_

"_I'm serious…I intend to kill you."_

_**Rumble of thunder**_

I was angry.  
Angry at you for getting stronger, angry at you for trying to stop me, angry that no one understood me, _angry at myself for being weak.  
_I wanted power, I _needed_ power.  
And if killing you could get me that power, then I would do it.

_Nothing else mattered anymore._

_**Flash of lightning**_

"…_everything we did together, was it all meaningless to you!?"_

"_No…it was not meaningless…"_

"_to me, you have become my closest friend."_

"_That is why it's worth killing you."_

"_You're naïve, aren't you?"_

"_Even if I have to break your bones…"_

"_I will stop you!"_

"_Shut up!"_

"_What the hell do you understand about me!?!"_

"_You had nothing in the first place!"_

_**Rumble of Thunder**_

While you might understand my loneliness, you will never understand my grief  
because…you never had a family in the first place.  
You don't understand what it was like to watch them die,  
to see _him_ standing over their bloodied bodies.  
To see those blood-thirsty eyes.

_You don't understand…  
__and in a way I was disappointed in you.  
__So our fight continued…  
__Me fighting for my goal,  
__and you, fighting to bring me back.  
__Our powers collided  
__as much as our hearts did._

Remember when I told you that if you and your opponent are first class ninjas, you can read inside their minds when your fists meet?  
In that very last collision…

_I got a glimpse of your mind.  
Just as our hands collided together,  
I felt overwhelming emotions coming from you,  
but it was familiar…  
because…  
it was the same emotion I felt  
when _he_ betrayed our clan,  
our family,  
__and me._

I was thrown back from the sheer force of those feelings.  
I think you delved into my mind too for you were thrown back as well, rolling on the ground before coming to a stop on your back.  
It took me forever to get to where you were laid.  
I stood over you, knowing that this was my chance to kill you to get that power.  
But I couldn't do it.  
My whole body was paralyzed from just one look of your face.  
That face filled with grieving betrayal.

_I couldn't do it.  
__Because now…  
__You were like me,  
__you understood me, and I…  
__I…finally understood you._

I opened my mouth to speak, but the words won't come out. I coughed up blood and bile instead.

_I couldn't find words to express how I felt,  
__I was overcome with regret.  
__I had hurt you in the worst possible way,  
__just like he had hurt me.  
__I wanted to say sorry…  
__That you might somehow, someway, someday  
__find it in your broken heart to forgive my actions._

I got up to leave.  
I can never return now, while others might forgive me. I won't forgive myself.  
This is the only path I can take now, and with each step I get farther away from you.

_Every single step is so hard to take._

I'm sorry it had to be this way, my comrade, my friend, my brother.  
I will continue to walk down this path that has been created for me.  
I can only hope you will never take the same path.  
There are people waiting for you, you're not alone anymore.  
Go and walk into the sunshine,

_for there is a rainbow waiting for you.  
__Be happy…  
__Naruto._

_**pit pat pit pat pit pat pit**_

_**pat pit pat pit pat pit**_

From my eyes come the salty tears that have been unshed since I was a child. It blends in with the raindrops on my face, making trails of salty water. They slowly trickle downwards, towards my torn and blackened heart.

The steady rhythmic sounds beat against the window pane, creating a haunting music that harmonizes with the same sad melody of those buried memories.

_It's raining…  
__a rain of tears._

* * *

A/N: This was written for a fanfic contest. Some constructive criticism is appreciated. Please review! 


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